Control valve for sprayers



May 23, 1957 A. H. mmm Lt'Al.

CONTROL VALVE FOR SPRAYERS Filed May l5, 1964 4appearing on the housingof `a spray control valve.

United States Patent O 3,321,178 CONTROL VALVE FOR SPRAYERS August H.Pinke and Walter Eugene Petersen, both of Hastings, Minn., assignors toH. D. Hudson Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Filed May 15, 1964, Ser. No. 367,788

2 Claims. (Cl. 251-347) This invention relates to improvements in spraycon trol valves and, more particularly, in an improved control valve ofthe type ordinarily interposed between a conduit leading from a sprayercontainer containing liquid to be sprayed under pressure and a tubeextension having a nozzle at its discharge end for controlling the spraypattern.

In conventional sprayer equipment as, for example, compression sprayersfor garden, household or industrial use, extension tube or rod having aspray nozzle at its discharge end, is also equipped with a generallyhexagonal `female fitting at the other end. This fitting is threaded bymeans of tools such as wrenches, etc., to male threads In thisconnection, tools are required to obtain a relatively leak-proof unionbetween these parts as well as disassembly thereof. In use, theextension tube may frequently be removed from the self-contained spraycontrol valve for replacement with other patterns of extension rods and,of course, for servicing.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved spraycontrol valve which permits one to affix or remove the extension rodmanually and by simple linger action thereby eliminating the necessityof tools for such purposes.

Another object is to provide a control valve for sprayers and whichadopts the fitting end of the tube extension as a valve seat therebyeliminating parts and minimizing the cost of sprayers, control valvesand. replacement par-ts.

Briey stated, the present invention proposes `a spray control valve forcoupling `a t-ube extension to the liquid under pressure as, forexample, that contained in cornpressionrsprayer tanks. The fitting oradap-ter end of the extension is provided with a pair of wings in themanner of a wing-nut to facilitate manual coupling of the valve to theextension by means of interposed mating threads. Thus, the need for awrench or other similar tool is elimina-ted. In addition, the fitting atthe end of the tube extension constitutes the seat of the spray controlvalve and, under such circumstances, is adapted to cooperate directlywith the valve stem, ordinarily spring biased and hand operated indefining both the valve open and close positions. Thus, the number ofrequired parts is held at a minimum.

Other objects and Iadvantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description which is to be taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings illustrating a somewhat preferred embodiment ofthe invention in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the improved spray control valve of thisinvention shown associated with a conventional compression sprayer Vandan extension rod having at its discharge end a spray nozzle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and fragmentary exploded view of the spray controlvalve;

FIG. 3 is a view showing these parts in assembled and operativecondition; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

In the drawings, a spray control valve of the hand operat-ed varietyincorporating the teachings of this invention is designated gener-allyby the numeral 10. This valve interconnects the conduit 12 leading froma conventional compression sprayer 14 and the extension rod 3,32l,l78Fatented May 23, 1967 ice 1.6. The compression sprayer 14 is adapted tocontain liquid to be sprayed; and such sprayers may partake of the typecommercially available under the trademarks S1mplex and Saf-TLolr,manufactured by Hudson Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Chicago, Ill. Thedischarge end of the extension rod 16 is provided with a removable andreplaceable spray nozzle 18 which may be of the type capable ofproviding a cone pattern from mist proportions to long rangetrajectories.

Reference is now made to the hand operated spray control valve 10. Thevalve 10 includes an adapter 20 which is externally threaded at itsforward end 22 and formed with a hexagonal nut configuration 'at itsrear end 24. A central bore 26 extends longitudinally through theadapter and conveniently receives the valve stem 28.

This stern 28 includes a rear end 3i) over which the conduit 12 isattached. The terminal end of this portion of the conduit 12 abutsagainst a radial liange 32 of the stem. The stem is provided with alongitudinally extending passageway 34 which, at its rear end,communicates with the interior of the conduit 12 and, consequently, thetank of the sprayer 14. The forward end of the passageway 34 terminatesshort of the forward end 36 of the stem. At least one radial opening 38extends through the side of the stem into the passageway .34. Forwardlyof this opening, the forward end 36 of the stem assumes a frusto-conicalconfiguration. Rearwardly of the opening 38, the stem includes a pair ofspaced circumferentially extending flanges 4t) and 42. An O-ring 44 isadapted to be disposed between these flanges to seal the Zone rearwardlyof the opening 38 when the valve s-tem is associated with the valve seatto be described in detail shortly. A compression spring 46 is biasedbetween the rear flange 42 and the forward end of the adapter 20. Thisspring serves to urge the valve stem 28 forwardly with respect to theadapter 20.

The hand operated lever 48 of the usual type is disposed between theadapter 20 and the tiange 32 of the stem. When in a released position asillustrated in the drawings, this lever permits the stem 28 and adapter20 to be disposed in a position at which the valve 10 is closed. Whenthe lever is depressed or shifted to a position in which the free end is`adjacent `the conduit 12, the stem 28 is retracted relative to theadapter 20 to thereby shift the valve 10 to an opened position.

In accordance with the present application, the tube extension 16 isiprovided at its rear end with a ferrule fitting 50 which is coupleddirectly to the adapter 2l) about the valve s-tem 2S and serves as thevalve seat. Thus, the fitting 5l) is provided with atcentral passage 52which is enlarged at its rear end and there defined by a threadedportion 54 adapted to mate or mesh with the externally threaded portion22 of the adapter 20 in securing these parts together. The passage 52 isdefined by a forward conical portion 56 which terminates in the redu-cedportion 58 which communicates directly with the tube extension 16. Theconical portion 56 is suitably grooved in order to receive thecircumferentially extending O-ring 66. This O-ring 66 serves to seal theconical portion 36 of the forward end of the valve stem when the valveis in a closed position to thereby prevent liquid passing into the tubeextension 16. However, when the valve stem 28 is retracted against biasof the spring 46 by depressing the lever 48, this O-ring 60 no longercontacts the conical portion 36 of the valve stem with the resul-t thatliquid is adapted to pass through the radial opening 38 into theinterior of the tube extension 16.

The present invention further contemplates manually coupling the tubeextension 16 by means of the ferrule radially extending elements orwings 62 and 64 are provided on the fitting 50. These wings are adaptedto be manipulated in the manner of that of a wing-nut.

The winged ferrule fitting which forms part of the tube extension servesto eliminate parts constituting the control valve of prior art devices.Furthermore, this fitting enables one to afi'ix, or remove, theextension rod from the spray control valve by simple finger action. Thetube extension may, accordingly, be replaced with other patterns or forpossible servicing without the necessity of tools heretofore used forsuch purposes.

Thus, among others, the several aforenoted objects and advantages aremost effectively attained. Although a single somewhat preferredembodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, itshould be understood that this invention is in no sense limited therebyand is to be determined by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a sprayer of the type having a -container of liquid under pressureto be sprayed, a flexible conduit leading from the container andcommunicating with the interior thereof for passage therethrough of theliquid under pressure, and a tube extension extending from the conduitvand having a nozzle controlling the spray pattern of the liquid at thedischarge end thereof, and a spray control valve interposed between theconduit and the tube extension, an improved spray control valvecomprising: an adapter having a longitudinally extending central bore, astem extending through the adapter bore being coupled with the fiexibleconduit and having a longitudinally extending passageway communicatingwith the fiexible conduit and interior of the container, a ferrulefitting extending from the tube extension and having a central passagefor communicating with the tube extensionv and receiving the forward endof the stern, said adapter being provided with external threads and theferrule fitting being provided with internal threads meshed with theexternal threads of the adapter, and laterally extending finger engagingwing elements on the exterior of the ferrule fitting to provide awing-nut to facilitate manual assembly and disassembly of the ferrulefitting, said ferrule fitting being coupled directly with the adapterwhereby the stern is adapted to be shifted between a rear valve openposition at which the liquid under pressure is permitted to pass fromthe conduit through the control valve to the tube extension and forwardvalve closed position at which the forward end of the stem cooperateswith surfaces of the ferrule fitting to stop passage of the liquid underpressure through the control valve from the conduit to the tubeextension, a spring biased between the stem and the adapter whereby thestern is urged towards the valve closed position, and manual means forshifting the stem to a retracted position at which the valve is open;

2. In a sprayer of the type having a container of liquid under pressureto be sprayed, a fiexible conduit. leading from the container andcommunicating with the interior sure, and a tube extension extendingfrom the conduit and having a nozzle controlling the spray pattern ofthe liquid at the discharge end thereof, and a spray control valveinterposed between the conduit and the tube extension, an improved spraycontrol valve comprising: an externally threaded adapter having alongitudinally extending central bore, a stem extending through theadapter bore being coupled with the flexible conduit and having acentral longitudinal passageway extending from one and the rear end ofsaid stem at which it is adapted to communicate with the flexibleconduit and the sprayer container to a location short of the other andforward end of the stem, at least one transversely extending opening atsaid stem communicating with the passageway, said stem having alaterally extending flange and a circumferentially extending groove; aspring -biased against said fiange and said adapter, a first O-ring insaid groove, a ferrule fitting having one end having means cooperatingto couple the tube extension thereto and a central passage forcommunicating with the tube extension and receiving the other forwardend of the stem, the wall of the stem defining the forward portion ofthe passage being formed with a groove, another second O-ring in saidgroove; the central passage at the other and rear end of the ferrulefitting being defined by internal threads mating with the externalthreads of the adapter with the other and forward end of the stem beingforced towards the forward end of the ferrule fitting under the bias ofsaid spring into a valve closed position and into engagement with thesecond O-ring, and said first O-ring being in engagement with the sidewalls of the passage and the lateral opening being disposed between theO-rings, the rear and one end of the stem having means for cooperatingto permit the stern to be retracted relative to the thereof for passagetherethrough of the liquid under presadapter and ferrule fitting andagainst the spring to a valve open position, and laterally extendingfinger er1- gaging wing elementsl on the exterior of the ferrule fittingto provide a wing nut to permit manual assembly and disassembly of theferrule fitting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,950 6/1921FOrIlWalt 251--340 2,245,097 6/1941 Tobler 251-340 2,302,306 11/1942Faast 251-337 X 2,360,733 10/1944 Smith.

2,457,993 1/1949 Fletcher St al 251-340 X 3,123,337 3/1964 Peras 251-340X 3,196,924 7/1965 Kaminga 251-340 X 3,220,695 11/1965 Downey et alv251-322 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,091,327 10/ 1954 France. 1,210,452 9/ 1959France.

M. CARY NELSON', Primary Examiner.

S. SCOTT, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A SPRAYER OF THE TYPE HAVING A CONTAINER OF LIQUID UNDER PRESSURETO BE SPRAYED, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT LEADING FROM THE CONTAINER ANDCOMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF FOR PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF THELIQUID UNDER PRESSURE, AND A TUBE EXTENSION EXTENDING FROM THE CONDUITAND HAVING A NOZZLE CONTROLLING THE SPRAY PATTERN OF THE LIQUID AT THEDISCHARGE END THEREOF, AND A SPRAY CONTROL VALVE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THECONDUIT AND THE TUBE EXTENSION, AN IMPROVED SPRAY CONTROL VALVECOMPRISING: AN ADAPTER HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CENTRAL BORE, ASTEM EXTENDING THROUGH THE ADAPTER BORE BEING COUPLED WITH THE FLEXIBLECONDUIT AND HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATINGWITH THE FLEXIBLE CONDUIT AND INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, A FERRULEFITTING EXTENDING FROM THE TUBE EXTENSION AND HAVING A CENTRAL PASSAGEFOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE TUBE EXTENSION AND RECEIVING THE FORWARD ENDOF THE STEM, SAID ADAPTER BEING PROVIDED WITH EXTERNAL THREADS AND THEFERRULE FITTING BEING PROVIDED WITH INTENAL THREADS MESHED WITH THEEXTERNAL THREADS OF THE ADAPTER, AND LATERALLY EXTENDING FINGER ENGAGINGWING ELEMENTS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE FERRULE FITTING TO PROVIDE AWING-NUT TO FACILITATE MANUAL ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY OF THE FERRULEFITTING, SAID FERRULE FITTING BEING COUPLED DIRECTLY WITH THE ADAPTERWHEREBY THE STEM IS ADAPTED TO BE SHIFTED BETWEEN A REAR VALVE OPENPOSITION AT WHICH THE LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE IS PERMITTED TO PASS FROMTHE CONDUIT THROUGH THE CONTROL VALVE TO THE TUBE EXTENSION AND FORWARDVALVE CLOSED POSITION AT WHICH THE FORWARD END OF THE STEM COOPERATESWITH SURFACES OF THE FERRULE FITTING TO STOP PASSAGE OF THE LIQUID UNDERPRESSURE THROUGH THE CONTROL VALVE FROM THE CONDUIT TO THE TUBEEXTENSION, A SPRING BIASED BETWEEN THE STEM AND THE ADAPTER WHEREBY THESTEM IS URGED TOWARDS THE VALVE CLOSED POSITION, AND MANUAL MEANS FORSHIFTING THE STEM TO A RETRACTED POSITION AT WHICH THE VALVE IS OPEN.